10 49ers to watch in all-important third preseason game vs. Vikings

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday he’s getting closer to figuring out which players will make the 53-man roster when final cuts are made Sept. 2.

“I’m starting to get a better feel for what that is now. It’s taken me some time. It’s taken John (Lynch) and I some time because we’ve got to know what our group is like,” Shanahan said.

Shanahan and Lynch will have more information to work with following Sunday’s game in Minnesota which will serve as the dress rehearsal for the regular season.

Here are 10 players we’re keeping a close eye on in the third exhibition tilt against the Vikings.

Eli Harold, LB

(Eli Harold – Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Shanahan named Harold the starting SAM linebacker Friday after the team released veteran Ahmad Brooks. Harold, 23, hasn’t shown up on the stat sheet after playing 39 snaps in the first two preseason games. That might not mean much given Harold’s job generally is to set the edge and force plays back inside.

But if Harold’s going to have an extensive role, he’s going to have to bother quarterbacks. Otherwise, he’ll be passed over for players like Aaron Lynch, Arik Armstead, Solomon Thomas and Tank Carradine for time at defensive end in sub packages.